Copyright or WGA?
- Thread starter MacGyver
- Start date
Do both! After the final polish, (many rewrites) and an actor's read through -- I register with WGA (west) ASAP. Using Final Draft software (I believe most screenwriter's software does this as well) I download to WGA directly through Internet. Protection starts immediately (dated) then I do the same with Library of Congress. WGA costs around $10.00 to $25.00 for 5 years filing. Copyrights at LOC are the ultimate protection for your creative work but can take several weeks for complete registration. Hope this helps. I would recommend you do this with every script. I do. I lend my scripts out for feedback, how I get better at writing ...
The WGA throws your script in the shredder after 5 years, so why waste money?
The Copyright Office is what counts.
The Copyright Office is what counts.
The copyright is about as expensive and allows you to insure more of your rights. However it can take longer. I think of it as 'concrete'. The WGA registration is inexpensive; $20 if you're a member, $40 if not. It can be done immediately and allows some flexibility.
If you have a 'near final' script, you can register it with the WGA. Unless you make gross changes--add/remove scenes, characters, plot--that change the nature of the work, it extends some protection to minor revisions that copyright doesn't. Substantial changes require you re-register the new script in either case.
Now practically, if you are selling your screenplay, you will be transferring most of those rights to the producers. They will likely have someone re-write the screenplay (they liked your idea). So they will then copyright their own version and film to protect it.
If you write a book, work of art, or produce a movie, copyright makes a lot of sense--it's for the long haul. If your goal is to simply sell/option your screenplay, registering it makes more sense in my mind. If you are the writer/producer/director, by all means, register the draft and copyright your finished product. That allows you to develop derivative markets--dolls, videogames, etc.
Once you commit your words to paper or recordable media, it is protected by copyright technically. Most computers actually imbed the creation date into the file so you have it time-stamped. So Day One, when you write, you can affix "(c) 2011, My-Name" legitimately at no expense.
Most legitimate production companies will ask that you submit registered and/or copyrighted work for both your and their protection. If they do have an idea that is similar to yours, the records can be pulled to show whose idea had precedence if it goes to court. Pre-computers, that was harder to do so copyright registration was important.
I think of WGA registration as a fast protection tool in marketing a script. The copyright is kind of inherent. Putting the copyright on a manuscript is often viewed as amateurish by insiders (though often recommended by lawyers). Most insiders seem to not blink if they see a WGA number, though some scriptwriters also leave that off when marketing a script.
If I'm going to send out a script, I would definitely register it with the WGA. It's very fast and relatively inexpensive protection. There are other services out there--ScriptVault, etc.--which may be cheaper. While legitimate companies do not steal ideas, there are still a few individuals out there who do. It doesn't stop theft, but it is a deterrent and gives you some legal shielding.
Now if you have a script that has been optioned and it returns to you, you may consider copyrighting it unless you plan to re-write it. Writers are unlikely to retouch an optioned script. Here the copyright lasts longer than registration and makes financial sense. Remember, the copyright starts the date of creation and lasts the creator's life plus one hundred years (it used to be 75 years). Optioning doesn't necessarily transfer all the rights until they purchase it and it was part of the contract. Having the WGA registration may help support the creation date when applying for the copyright later. The WGA registration you would need to renew after five years. An optioned script suggests potential, so it's worth the effort to copyright.
Just remember whether registering or copyrighting a script, the protection extends only to the script (or treatment), not the idea itself. Unless you are paid to write the shooting script, expect that whatever you write will be altered by whomever buys/options your script.
How do others feel?
If you have a 'near final' script, you can register it with the WGA. Unless you make gross changes--add/remove scenes, characters, plot--that change the nature of the work, it extends some protection to minor revisions that copyright doesn't. Substantial changes require you re-register the new script in either case.
Now practically, if you are selling your screenplay, you will be transferring most of those rights to the producers. They will likely have someone re-write the screenplay (they liked your idea). So they will then copyright their own version and film to protect it.
If you write a book, work of art, or produce a movie, copyright makes a lot of sense--it's for the long haul. If your goal is to simply sell/option your screenplay, registering it makes more sense in my mind. If you are the writer/producer/director, by all means, register the draft and copyright your finished product. That allows you to develop derivative markets--dolls, videogames, etc.
Once you commit your words to paper or recordable media, it is protected by copyright technically. Most computers actually imbed the creation date into the file so you have it time-stamped. So Day One, when you write, you can affix "(c) 2011, My-Name" legitimately at no expense.
Most legitimate production companies will ask that you submit registered and/or copyrighted work for both your and their protection. If they do have an idea that is similar to yours, the records can be pulled to show whose idea had precedence if it goes to court. Pre-computers, that was harder to do so copyright registration was important.
I think of WGA registration as a fast protection tool in marketing a script. The copyright is kind of inherent. Putting the copyright on a manuscript is often viewed as amateurish by insiders (though often recommended by lawyers). Most insiders seem to not blink if they see a WGA number, though some scriptwriters also leave that off when marketing a script.
If I'm going to send out a script, I would definitely register it with the WGA. It's very fast and relatively inexpensive protection. There are other services out there--ScriptVault, etc.--which may be cheaper. While legitimate companies do not steal ideas, there are still a few individuals out there who do. It doesn't stop theft, but it is a deterrent and gives you some legal shielding.
Now if you have a script that has been optioned and it returns to you, you may consider copyrighting it unless you plan to re-write it. Writers are unlikely to retouch an optioned script. Here the copyright lasts longer than registration and makes financial sense. Remember, the copyright starts the date of creation and lasts the creator's life plus one hundred years (it used to be 75 years). Optioning doesn't necessarily transfer all the rights until they purchase it and it was part of the contract. Having the WGA registration may help support the creation date when applying for the copyright later. The WGA registration you would need to renew after five years. An optioned script suggests potential, so it's worth the effort to copyright.
Just remember whether registering or copyrighting a script, the protection extends only to the script (or treatment), not the idea itself. Unless you are paid to write the shooting script, expect that whatever you write will be altered by whomever buys/options your script.
How do others feel?
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Getting the piece of paper from the copyright office takes a long
time - registering the copyright is immediate. As soon as you pay
the fee it’s officially registered.
It can’t hurt to do both - in fact it’s a pretty good idea to do
both - but if you only want to do one; register the copyright.
time - registering the copyright is immediate. As soon as you pay
the fee it’s officially registered.
It can’t hurt to do both - in fact it’s a pretty good idea to do
both - but if you only want to do one; register the copyright.
+ 2
Writer's Guild is absolutely useless. The US Copyright Office won't destroy your script.